The 2014 ISA World Standup Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship (WSUPPC) begins Saturday with the Opening Ceremony featuring the Parade of Nations and Sands of the World Ceremony. All 28 National Teams and over 250 Athletes and Team Officials will gather and parade down the streets of the historic, colonial city of Granada in front of thousands of local spectators.

During the Opening Ceremony, each participating nation comes to the stage waving their national flag while pouring sand from their local beach into a glass container symbolizing the peaceful gathering of nations through the love of surfing.

Friday, the official press conference of the ISA WSUPPC took place in the official host city, Granada, where over 50 representatives of Nicaragua’s leading TV and print media outlets were present. In attendance were ISA President Fernando Aguerre, Ministry of Tourism Mayra Salinas, Local Event Organizer Lucy Valenti, Mayor of Granada Julia Mena, Mayor of Diriamba Fernando Baltodano, Nicaragua Team Manager Ronaldo Urroz, Nicaragua National Team Members Norwin Estrella and Ana Urroz, and 2013 ISA WSUPPC Gold Medalist Casper Steinfath from Denmark.

The first ever Nicaraguan SUP and Paddleboard Team was present at the Official Press Conference of the 2014 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship. Photo: ISA/Michael Tweddle

“It is with great happiness that I welcome the first Nicaraguan National Team in the history of the ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship; it’s a real honor. I want all of the team members and coaches to realize that you are making sport history in Nicaragua,” noted ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “Nicaragua is a pioneer because it’s the first time that an ISA World Championship will be held at both the ocean and lake. I want to thank everyone for their support and wish the best of success to all of the athletes.”

“For Nicaragua, it brings great satisfaction, pride, and happiness to welcome more than 220 athletes from 28 countries,” remarked Executive President of INTUR (Ministry of Tourism) Mayra Salinas. “For us, it’s an extraordinary opportunity, not only for Tourism promotion of the country at an international level, but also to showcase the incredibly rich natural resources we have in all of our beaches.”

“I would like to invite the whole country of Nicaragua to enjoy a World Championship of amazing quality. Since we started hosting ISA World Championships three years ago, it has positioned Nicaragua as a world-wide leader in surf,” said Local Organizer Lucy Valenti.

The live webcast of the Parade of Nations and the Opening Ceremony will begin at 3:30pm, local time and can be viewed on http://isawsuppc.com/live/.

About The International Surfing Association:
The International Surfing Association (ISA), founded in 1964, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. The ISA governs and defines Surfing as Shortboard, Longboard & Bodyboarding, StandUp Paddle (SUP) Racing and Surfing, Bodysurfing, Wakesurfing, and all other wave riding activities on any type of waves, and on flat water using wave riding equipment. The ISA crowned its first Men’s and Women’s World Champions in 1964. It crowned the first Big Wave World Champion in 1965; World Junior Champion in 1980; World Kneeboard Champions in 1982; World Longboard Surfing and World Bodyboard Champions in 1988; World Tandem Surfing Champions in 2006; World Masters Champions in 2007; and World StandUp Paddle (SUP, both surfing and racing) and Paddleboard Champions in 2012.

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies of 104 countries on five continents. Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (Argentina), first elected President in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro. The ISA’s four Vice-Presidents are Karín Sierralta (PER), Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), Casper Steinfath (DEN) and Barbara Kendall (NZL).